Unonian Short Stories
by Todd McCloud
Summary: Often I write small stories that take about one night to complete. Here is a small collection of them, forever growing, from the land of Uno.
1. The Three Sisters

The Three Sisters

Seven hundred years ago, before the independence from Careinian rule, there were nobility scattered across the Unonian territory. One of these nobles, named Fox McFelese, was a bold vulpine who ruled his people with fairness and mercy. During his reign, he and his wife had three daughters each one year apart from the other. And as the years progressed the three daughters grew up to be beautiful vixens. They came of age and were soon allowed to be courted by other men.

On the day of the youngest one's sixteenth birthday, all three met in their father's court, which was required each day as governed by the common law of the land. Musicians were hired and knights from all across the north country rode in to celebrate. When the sun reached its highest point in the sky, Fox McFelese stood from his chair and looked upon his three daughters with great pride. He turned to the oldest first. Her name was Selvenia, with eyes a dark brown and dress an ink black.

"Selvenia, you have proven to be quite a coquette when it comes to the knights of Uno," he spoke. "Daintiness has no other match. You have my greatest blessings, my child."

"Thank you, father," she said while curtsying.

Fox McFelese turned to the next youngest, Ilesla, who wore a green dress. Her hair was the longest of the three, stretching almost to her tail. "Ilesla, your intelligence has been tested and proven most effective. You amaze me with your acute acumen, which will serve you well one day. You have my greatest blessings, my child."

"A pleasure, father," she said while curtsying.

He then turned to his youngest, Vesinia, who had her young hands held within her lap. Her white dress was as bright as is the sun, with her beautiful smile even brighter. "Vesinia, your good heart is unmatched throughout my lands. All the animals of the great Unonian forests bow to your good soul. You have my greatest blessings, my child."

"Oh, father, thank you," she said while curtsying.

As the celebrations began to die down, two of the three daughters stepped outside to mingle with knights and Chaljsko fighters who were returning to battle, as the smell of Unonian independence was ripe in the air. The youngest, however, stayed within the confines of the fortress, speaking to a most quick Chaljsko fighter who had proven himself worthy in battle constantly despite his youth. His name, Vho, was well known throughout the Unonian territory.

When evening approached, Vesinia and Vho returned to her father's hall, hand in hand. As he approached the noble lord, he placed his guardian staff in front of Fox McFelese's feet and bowed appropriately.

"Young man?" Lord McFelese asked.

"My lord, I inquire you of the hand of your youngest daughter, for I have never met such a beautiful vixen with such a marvelous soul to match. It is my greatest desire to wed her."

Fox McFelese nodded. "And does my daughter return this love?"

"Yes, father," she immediately replied. "It's as true as the moon each night and the sunlight each day. I love no other."

Intrigued at the rapidness of their love, the noble lord nevertheless had no choice but to allow the lanky youth to take her, much to the dismay of the eldest. Selvenia, who stood under the cover of a shadowy arch in the hall, had also fancied the young Vho, but wanted no part of Vesinia's intervention. She quickly hatched a devious plan.

Earlier the next day, before the sun could cast the shortest shadows on the forests, Vesinia walked out to the edge of the calm waters of the Kirovo River and sat down, admiring the serenity of the water. Flower in hand, she plucked the petals off one by one, humming a tune originally from the lips of the man she loved. Rings and gloves bestowed to her just one night ago adorned her young fingers and hands.

Selvenia had watched her the entire time, growing in jealousy and malevolent rage. As she regained her composure, she walked up to her younger sister and sat down with her.

"Are not the hands of another most comforting, Selvenia?" Vesinia asked, though her dreamy state made it seem as though any answer would be drowned out by the fantasies dancing within her young mind.

"Indeed it is," replied Selvenia. "Vesinia, the waters here are far too boring. Why don't we walk farther down the river, where we can see ships setting sail?"

With a smile, the younger sister followed her sibling, walking down the bends and curves of the widening river. They strode across the edge for hours, talking and singing. Then, with a snide smirk, the eldest pushed the youngest in.

As Vesinia struggled and sputtered in the rushing current, she held out her hand to her sister. "Sister! Lend me your hand!"

Selvenia scowled. "I'll give you neither hand nor glove lest you give me your own true love."

Shocked, Vesinia attempted to fight the rushing waters, but soon drowned in the open waters, broken hearted and full of sorrow.

Lord McFelese, with his court preparing for the marriage to take place later that day, had sent the middle child to the miller for bread. Now Ilesla was very intelligent, and knew the fastest route to the mill was along the river. In no time she met up with Selvenia, who upon spotting her ran to her path.

"Ilesla!" shouted Selvenia. "Our sister, Vesinia, has drowned in the river! I asked for her hand, yet she would not extend it!"

Ilesla was very suspicious and desired to investigate, yet decided her father's commands were more urgent. "Go back to the fortress and tell all to father. I have been asked to bring bread, and it is bread I shall bring. But you run to him as fast as you can."

Selvenia did as she was told, though she would have done so anyway. She arrived out of breath into her father's hall and stumbled up to where he and Vho were awaiting the arrival of Vesinia.

"Father!" she exclaimed. "Your daughter, Vesinia, has drowned in the river! I asked for her hand, yet she would not extend it!"

Distraught, the noble lord immediately fell into his chair, griping his forehead with trembling digits. "Oh, my darling Vesinia." He turned to Vho, who was sick with sorrow. "My son, I have already accepted your invitation. Please, as my token of grief, select one of my daughters to wed." Sighing, he drew a disheartening breath. "No riches will replace her glow, but I will offer you money and land in addition if you so desire."

Vho knelt in front of the noble lord, attempting to cover his overpowering emotions. It was no use, as anguish infected his entire being. "I will honor your request," he responded with a hard blink. "I will choose the only one present, Selvenia."

Fox McFelese nodded. "Then we shall prepare the marriage for her."

Meanwhile, a minstrel from the ceremonies that took place yesterday was walking toward the fortress as he was hired once again for a marriage. He carried his visca pipes with care as he sauntered near the bends and curves of the river that ran near the fortress. However, as he crossed a sharp bend, he noticed a body washed up on shore, with the waves kissing her bruised and torn figure in the descending sun. In haste he sped toward the body.

"Almighty God!" he gasped. "A young vixen!" Shifting his eyes, he made sure no one was watching him. Then, with a hunting knife, he began to cut her body. "Young woman, I will honor you in the only way I know I can. I will set your spirit to music, and may you sing like the angel you are now."

He worked for hours, cutting and tearing her flesh, and eventually fashioned a harp of her breastbone, with lochs of her hair the strings of the harp. When he had finished, he met up with Ilesla, who had not witnessed what he had done. They arrived at the noble lord's hall in no time.

Once they arrived, all assembled within the stone confines of the cathedral within the fort. Everyone watched as Selvenia, dressed in flowers and flowing silk, stepped down the main aisle to where Vho stood near the altar.

Ilesla was not surprised to see Selvenia prepared for marriage. Immediately she walked up to her father and tugged on his arm. "Father, what is an important marriage without proper music? Please, allow the minstrels to play their tunes!"

With a solemn nod, Fox McFelese allowed the minstrels to step forward. As the minstrel who held the harp began to tune his visca pipes, he placed the harp on a stone. Immediately it began to rock back and forth, much to the amazement of the congregation and bride, but much to the horror of Selvenia.

It instantly began to play alone. The first string was a doleful note. The noble lord was overcome with grief, remembering the loss of his youngest daughter earlier that day. The second string played beneath the bone was just as saddening. Terror seized Selvenia as she dropped to her knees in a fit of screams. As the third string played, her heart stopped, and her boney body fell to the floor with a slight bound.

Years later, Unonian independence was clenched, with Fox McFelese the new king of the great nation. His only living daughter, Ilesla, chose not to accept the hand of Vho, but instead to devote her life to the mysteries of the Unonian Christian faith, which freely preached over the lands for centuries to come. To this day, the harp is still intact and is said to be buried within the Cathedral of the Seven Sacraments in Cavask. It is believed that harp will play if a guilty conscience walks over its burial location. Regardless of the truth to these statements, it is a living reminder to be grateful for one another, and to the darkened paths of jealousy and hatred that one must avoid at all costs.


	2. The Vixen which Never Rests

The Vixen who won the war but lost her spirit

In the fall of the year of the Almighty, 1267, Uno broke out in all-out war. The time had come to end the Careinian dominance and to seek independence as free people. After the bitter skirmishes in Cavask, now a free city once again, noble lords, some of which once held alliances with Canvhis proper, began to prepare for various attacks on fortified garrisons and outposts. One of these lords was Eriuso McDunliuz. McDunliuz was a middle-aged fox in the prime of his life who held lands near the southeastern side of present-day Uno. His castle was among the most beautiful of the entire continent – dedicated to his wife, Lady Ivalsa, whom he often said made the fort ugly when she stood in front of it with her striking beauty in comparison. He loved her among no other, and she the same. Though she was once a simple peasant, the noble lord took her backwards background in stride, never letting anyone of the Unonian or Careinian courts make any snide remarks about her.

The fight for independence carried outside of Lord McDunliuz's castle walls one day. There on the beach stood four hundred Careinian soldiers of heavy armor and long swords. Upon horseback they clamored and clanged up to the top of the mountain where his castle stood majestically over all his lands.

But the noble lord was not distraught over their numbers. Instead, he worried about his wife, who had decided to walk along the shore of the river to watch the ducks swim across. He was overcome with despair. The mere thought of her in the hands of his enemies made his stomach turn. Immediately he called out for his best men – then anyone he could find. Even pages and advisors brandished swords and wore the finest of Unonian armor, which was thin and plated at best. They lined up in rows and prepared to exit the mighty doors of the castle.

Meanwhile, Lady Ivalsa was far from the entire ordeal. She had decided to walk farther than she ever had before, past the nearby outpost even. Though she knew it was dangerous to do so, her curiosity drove her forward. On a slight hillside she knelt, careful not to ruin her elegant pink dress

As the Careinian army group positioned itself for attack, Lord McDunliuz did as well. Using the back gate of his castle, he moved his men on both sides of the large hill, hiding their numbers behind the enemy. He didn't want to attack them for fear his wife was in their ranks. So he waited silently, crouched on the side of the large hill, hidden in a sparely-treed lot.

Evening fell and Lady Ivalsa returned to the grounds of the castle. She spotted her husband among his men camping out just before the top of the hill. Alarmed, she ran to him and asked what was transpiring.

"My grace, where have you been?"

"Watching the ducks from across the river as I always do, my love."

Lord McDunliuz hugged her immediately. "At least you are safe, my rose. Go back to the castle. Run to your quarters high in the building and lock the door behind you. There you will wait for me. We will battle throughout the night, but by morning we should be finished. Listen for me. If you here two knocks, all is well, and I will be there waiting for you. If three should dare come from my fist, all is lost, and I will take you to Cavask immediately."

She kissed him and then ran to the fortress, doing exactly as he asked. Though she was the only one left in the castle, she knew to wait for him, as he would never let her down.

By nightfall the Careinians, their numbers growing steadily throughout the day, had decided to give up for the day, thinking that the noble lord was a coward and tomorrow would be ripe to siege the castle. But in an instant McDunliuz's men flew down on them with great vigor, seizing the moment and taking advantage of the Careinian's lax judgment. They tore through the lines like fire through a forest and cut down many men.

Yet soon the Careinians were beginning to hold their own. The plates of their armor proved too thick for most men's swords, and their stature too strong to be beat down by the hooves of horses. Soon the battlefield was a stalemate, with men from both sides dying quickly.

Lord McDunliuz, sword in hand, vanquished many enemy soldiers atop his mighty horse. He fought hard for his wife, knowing that each man slain would bring him closer to her. Quick with his weapon, he tore into opponents throughout the night.

By daybreak the battlefield was a wasteland of death. Lord McDunliuz, the lone survivor of his people, combed the entire area for any of his fallen comrades. But he knew they were either dead or chasing down enemy soldiers, as no Unonian flees a battle. Exhausted, he walked up the hill to return to his wife. Though he hated to think it, it was no longer safe for him to reside in his castle without an army. He would have to take his wife to Cavask.

As he walked up the corridor to his wife's quarters, he spotted a Careinian at her door, just about to break it down. Immediately he gripped the burly creature and flung him down the stairs, letting the vile man cascade down countless flights of stairs. But before the man fell to his death, he readied his crossbow and aimed it directly at the noble lord. Just as he was about to knock on her door, the arrow struck his back, and he too fell down the dark corkscrew, body torn and wrapped in bruises.

But Lady Ivalsa didn't hear the commotion from the thick door behind them. Instead, she continued to wait, staring outside her window, searching the battlefield with her eyes as the morning light approached, hoping to see her husband appear from the mess below.

Almost two weeks would pass until riders from Cavask would arrive at the castle. They had hoped to see the noble lord safe and sound, but instead beholden a battlefield of decaying flesh and looted bodies. When they reached the stairway leading to the lady's quarters, they saw where the noble lord had fallen, and decided to take his body out of the castle to properly bury it. As more men arrived that day, they began to search the castle for anyone still alive within it.

When they searched the lady's quarters, they found her dead, her body still sitting in a chair near the window, though pressed against one of the casements in a lifeless state. Her eyes, though tired, still stared out to the battlefield, searching for the husband who would never let her down. She too was buried that day.

Thankfully, the Careinian army group had been destroyed, though. And Unonian independence was all but assured after the battle on McDunliuz's hill. Yet, amidst the vines and vast forest that now covers the castle in ruins, it does not sleep. For it is said on a clear cast night one can see from a window the lady waiting for her husband to arrive and offer her two knocks so she may return to him once again.


	3. Why Uno is Green

Why Uno is Green

In the pagan times, it was said that Uno was green because of a great love between two spirits. Vileska was the spirit of spring and loved everything that was green. Her dress was so elegant and so magical it displayed every conceivable shade of green, from the almost black to the virtually white. Thin green vines were tied into her hair, mingling with her braids as her hair fell to her shoulders and down her back. Her shoes were green velvet, and they stepped on the soft soil ever so silently each day. Even her eyes were green.

Reko was the spirit of trees. Before he even knew Vileska, all trees had dark blue and red leaves, which were the two main fur color types. Each year he would have to replenish the leaves, as Revekikiro, the spirit of winter, would pick the leaves off the trees and cause them to cascade to the ground. Reko was not angered by this, for he knew Revekikiro's intentions – that all Unonian vulpines should start anew each year, and that the process should begin once he brought the snow and the cold, which he hoped would cause Unonians to come together and live near each other for warmth.

One day, as Reko was replenishing the leaves of a great forest, he spotted Vileska walking down a path. Intrigued at her beauty, he followed her until she stopped at a stream. He carefully positioned himself behind a rock and watched as she dipped her hands in the cold water. This quickly melted the ice and caused the waters to flow once again. Snow melted around the stream and flowers bloomed where she knelt.

Reko looked down at his leaves of blue and red and quickly hatched a plan. He couldn't just walk up to her and startle her, no, he was much more subtle than that. With leaves in hand, he quickly changed them to green, which seemed to be her favorite color, and made all the trees nearby clothed in a healthy coat of green. But that wasn't enough. Looking down at the grass, which was brown, he moved his hands into the dirt as the grass turned green. Then, as he tore a branch off a shrub, it turned green, causing the other shrubs to also adopt the green look.

Vileska was confused but happy to see so much green in the forest. Never before had she seen such beauty stretched across the land. Immediately she began to search for the cause. She checked her dress, then searched behind a large jaku tree ahead of her.

Now was Reko's turn. Looking at his black and white clothes, he touched his clothes and closed his eyes. When he opened them, they too transformed to a light and dark shade of green, but the colors were brighter and fuller than any color of green he had ever seen before.

When he met up with Vileska, he stood right behind her, not making a sound. She turned around and nearly jumped at what she saw. There, in front of her, was a handsome young fox with a bouquet of the most beautiful collection of flowers she had ever seen. He bowed appropriately and stuck out his hand. She grabbed it, smiled, and followed the man down the path of the forest. Wherever they walked, spring woke the forest and vegetation, while Reko's combined with Vileska's green attire caused the forest to light up in every conceivable shade of green. They walked down every grove and open field of Uno, making everything green as they talked and laughed.

When they returned to the spirit world, they realized just how close they were and immediately planned for a wedding. Two days later they were married. Reko promised never to leave Vileska, and he kept that promise for years to come, as each spring Reko walked with Vileska through Uno, making every single corner of the region green.


	4. The First Gypsies of Uno

The First Unonian Gypsies

Thousands of years ago, all Unonians resided in the comfort of forests guarded by the mighty Ca'ar River and the Ta'lavero Mountains, which kept them isolated from all other races. There the vulpine race grew and excelled to the highest of sophistication for the time. Buildings were built, and jobs were assigned all across the peaceful lands.

However, there was one man who didn't like his job. Well, it wasn't that he didn't like his job – he believed there was more to the land than what his town showed. His name was Yipsero, and he lived at the edge of town with his newlywed wife, Angkka. Their home was somewhat dilapidated, but that was only because Yipsero worked hard in the fields to gather grain and his wife was pregnant and required unusually large amounts of sleep so her children would grow.

In the spring she gave birth to their first kit, a male. But she didn't stop with one – as twenty-six kits followed their older brother. Overcome with emotion, Yipsero ran into town shouting the wonderful news to his friends across the settlement.

However, the townspeople were less than enthusiastic. A meeting was held the very next day about the current situation. Yipsero and his family were not invited. There they discussed and debated about how they were supposed to grow enough grain and raise enough animals for twenty-seven new members. Everyone remembered the extremely harsh winter from the year passed and wondered if they could make it through another winter with such a population increase. Hours passed, but eventually the entire town reached a unanimous decision to expel their overjoyed family. They knocked on the couple's door and told them the news.

Though they thought Yipsero and his wife would take the news hard, they were surprised to see him happy. Now he had the chance to see the entire continent, or at least the rest of the lands of Uno.

One week was all it took to pack the entire family and their belongings into a covered wagon donated by the townsfolk. Although Angkka was apprehensive, Yipsero convinced her this was the right way and both left the town after a few short good-byes.

They moved over the Ta'lavero Mountains and were amazed at the mountains they passed, even though the cold temperatures and odd vegetation was nothing like Uno. Yet their warm glows began to dim once they realized they were running out of food. They knew what must happen. With great hesitation and sadness, they stopped the wagon and removed ten from their lot. Placing them on the ground, they hoped someone would come along and raise them. When they left, a Careinian came by and snatched all the children up. He wanted to cook them, but instead decided to raise them all to be workers for his farm.

The couple traveled up north to Hazardouse. Amidst the brown soil and dying trees, nothing like the green, fresh Uno, they left six of their children on the ground, hoping they would have better luck with finding food and a loving caretaker. When they left, however, they were spotted by a pack of wolves that devoured the litter immediately.

Next they followed the coastline around the great continent until they came upon the fertile lands of Tedastria. This time the couple only needed to drop three, as the food there was plenty, much like Uno, but still not quite home. They left feeling better about the chances of their kits, but when they left the three were grabbed by a merchant who raised the three kits to be slaves who would work until they dropped dead.

Still traveling southward, Yipsero and Angkka reached the lands of Uzbvinistan. They were shocked of the absolute aridness of the area – absolutely nothing like Uno, which was always green and alive. Food here was very scarce, so they had to lose five more kits. When they left, the sand buried them, and the kits were no more.

Looping around the northern part of the continent, they stopped at Ca'anthru, where the grass was unusually bright, nothing like the dark, cool grass of Uno they were accustomed to. Both knew they had to go back home. They dropped only two kits – saving one for their return to Uno. When they left, the kits wandered southward until they approached the beaches of the large country. There they were swept away by the incoming tide.

Returning home, Yipsero and Angkka raised their only kit to become an adult. Although the village was at first apprehensive to accept them once more, they comforted the couple once they realized what had happened. They called Yipsero "the wanderer" and constantly asked him questions about all that he saw. But, all he said was "nothing is as good as what I call home."

Yipsero and Angkka's son grew to become a good worker in town. He had a son, and his son had a son, and so on. Many generations later, their linage finally produced a nobleman. That nobleman grew to become a king. The king, the ultimate protector of Unonian gypsies across the lands, was Todd McVanke II.

To this day, Unonians use this story as a word of caution to anyone who wishes to accept this walk of life. Each nation treats these gypsies differently. Canvhis is oppressive and brutal. Hazardouse is deadly and bloodthirsty. Tedastria is intolerable and uncompromising. Uzbvinistan is inhospitable and uncomfortable. Ca'anthru is full of traps and perils. And, of course, none of these nations can ever replace the comforts of home.


	5. How the Gypsies Sacked Provinsk

How the Gypsies Sacked Provinsk

During the reign of Todd McVanke II, the Unonian provinces were finally reunited after a century of disarray, but battles with the surrounding nations did not cease. The wise king knew he had no choice but to beat his enemies into submission, so he sent out an army to Provinsk, the hub of Careinian industry, and hoped to eventually reach the interior of the enemy nation.

In those days, gypsies were free to roam the Careinian countryside but prohibited from holding land. They had little if any rights, but still managed to live off the land, infiltrating their culture and language into the motherland. Since most, if not all, gypsies were Unonian by both race and culture, they quickly got wind of the oncoming attack on Provinsk and decided to help their brethren take the city. They set up the largest camp ever assembled and met to devise a plan.

"We must be quick," warned Ivolesu, "for our enemies are quicker."

"We must be intelligent," added Kuluv, "four our enemies are quick to the wits as well."

"And we must fight together," spoke Benzelo, an elder, "for our enemies are excellent at organization and are skilled warriors."

Suddenly, a small, thin vixen named Ikrisia stood. She was a young adult without a husband. No one would marry her because she was a bastard child of a Careinian and she refused to court anyone, even the handsomest of gypsies, leaving many to suspect she wasn't right in the mind. "But if we appear to separate while staying united, we could confuse our enemy. They are organized, but not too organized. They may be intelligent, but we are smarter. They may even be quick, but if we work together we can slow them down."

Intrigued, Benzelo slowly stood and raised his hands to the fire around the group. "You are half-Careinian, Ikrisia. Though we've been harsh with you, you might know these enemies the best. Our army is nearing us too, which means our time is short. Therefore, we shall listen to what you have to say, for our brothers in Uno need our help and we must never let them down."

Ikrisia nodded. "Leave half the wagons here. Dampen them and burn them. Send one child to the Unonian army and tell him to tell King McVanke to follow a trail of smoke. Then go to Provinsk and set up camp there. Find any piece of open land in the city and settle on it."

Everyone in the encampment hung onto Ikrisia's words. Most never knew her to begin with, for she rarely spoke, but that night they treated her like a saint. When morning broke, the group packed their wagons and set off to Provinsk, just as she told them to. They left half of their belongings behind and let the slow fire consume them.

As soon as they began to set camp in the city for the night, a great gathering of citizens stepped out of their houses to see what was going on. Disgusted, they tried to force them out of the city, using words, stones, and wooden clubs to change their minds.

"It is our right to set camp where we please!" Ikrisia reminded the citizens. "You cannot make us leave, or your police will hear of the disturbance and tell your king. They will blame you for the unrest and lock you up!"

They knew she was right. Disgruntled, some citizens packed their bags and left town, for they refused to mingle with Unonian gypsies. Those that stayed behind relayed the disturbance to the Careinian army stationed on the western side of town. Once they were notified, they marched to the gypsy encampment.

"What is the meaning of this?" barked a burly Careinian guard. "You gypsies are free to roam the entire nation. Why must you pick this spot?"

Ikrisia stood. "Our people have set up camp just beyond a collection of hills, in the northeastern direction. We moved here to avoid any skirmishes."

The guard grabbed Ikrisia and shook her. "Liar! There is no Unonian army advancing! You only say that to drive more people from this city in the hopes you can claim it for yourself!"

"Oh, there's so many of us gypsies," Ikrisia continued. "Why, this is only half the group. By tomorrow we will all reside in Provinsk!"

"Is that so?" questioned the guard. "You lied to me before, why should I believe you this time?"

Suddenly, a returning citizen ran into the crowd and fought his way forward. "There's a great fire across the northeastern hills! There may be more coming!"

The guard dropped Ikrisia and gathered his troops. "Then we will pay them a visit. Laws or no laws, they must be stopped!"

"No!" shouted Ikrisia under a fake frown. "You mustn't stop them!"

The guard laughed. "Soon your people will be eradicated. You may have the city for one day, but when we return you will suffer their same fate!"

Full of gusto, the Careinian soldiers left along with many of the citizens in hopes of defending their town from the uninvited guests. Since they believed there were gypsies across the hills, they took minimal weapons with them, hoping it would be a true slaughter without much of a struggle. All soldiers left for the encampment, however, because they wanted to loot their wagons afterward and take part in the killing.

When they arrived in the evening, however, they were met by the formidable Unonian army heading due east to Craminsk, the Careinian capital. The Unonians made quick work of the large army, sparing no one, then proceeded to Provinsk, where they took the lives of the remainder of the citizens. When the fighting was over, the Unonian king, Todd McVanke II, was surprised to see gypsies already hiding within the city.

"Why would you hide in this city if you knew we were going to attack it?" he asked.

Benzelo stood to address the man, but was quickly silenced by Ikrisia. "Because, M'lord, it was us who took this city, not you."

The king was puzzled. "But we just finished butchering a great army. Are you telling me there were more men than that?"

"No, m'lord," Ikrisia replied, "but we drove them from the city. We sacked Provinsk in the hopes of preserving your army as it treads deeper into Canvhis."

Todd McVanke II smiled. "If you sacked the town, then it shall be yours for as long as we can hold onto it. I am very grateful for my people, whether they are in Uno or Canvhis, whether they stay within my borders or are wanderers, whether they are loved or hated. I respect them all. Therefore, you and your people may have this city."

Ikrisia was surprised at the generous king's offer, but as she turned to her group, she shook her head. "We respect you just as much, young king, but we cannot keep this city. We are gypsies, and we live off the land. We don't want property – we just want to be free. And, because you have freed us from the Careinians, we are very grateful."

"Then may it be so," the king replied. "From this day forward, all gypsies will walk the Careinian lands as a free people. And our soldiers will protect you from harm until the day comes when we can no longer support you."

"Thank you," Ikrisia said with a smile. "May we take what's left in this town?"

"Please do. Your people deserve it."

Before the gypsies packed up and left, they raided the homes for anything of value. Taking only what they could carry, most left and roamed the countryside without fear. Some stayed behind and populated the new town of Provinsk, which was held under Unonian control for nearly a century.

To this day, almost half of the population of Provinsk is Unonian, and most, if not all, claim their roots to be of gypsy descent. As for Ikrisia, it is uncertain what happened to her afterwards. Some say she helped populate Provinsk, while others say she moved southward with her group, and still others say Todd McVanke II himself took her with his army to plan more attacks on the Careinians. Whatever the truth, one thing remains clear: it was the gypsies who took Provinsk.


	6. The Fat Man

The Fat Man

It is said that no vulpine is ever fat, that their ribs can be counted with ease and their cheekbones show even in the dimmest of light. However, in the sixth century, there was a very portly vulpine man named Gulistro who lived in Cavask. Gulistro was very proud of his weight, and equally proud of the food he ate each day to maintain it. As a child, he inherited a large sum of money, which ensured his financial security. Each day he ventured to the nearby marketplace and bartered and purchased mounds of food. Anything from stalekus to the rare elduro vines were his.

This angered the entire city, which was already strained by the firm grip of Careinian occupation which forced most of their food to be shipped across the Ta'lavero Mountains to the Careinian homeland. One day, after his wagon cart passed through the nearest marketplace, he was stopped by a crowd of angry men and women.

"You rich man!" one vixen shouted. "Why don't you give your money to our cathedral?"

Another raised their fist at him. "My children cannot eat because you buy so much food!"

Yet another, a vulpine monk, pleaded with him. "Gulistro, no vulpine must be fat! Gluttony is a terrible sin with horrible consequences!"

All Gulistro did was laugh. "I am a very rich man. I am entitled to do with my money as I please. You people may complain all you want, but in the end it is I who decides what I do and what I look like. Be off with you!" He proceeded to push his cart to his home, which was just outside the city walls. He chose that spot because he was so afraid others would try to steal his food, which had never happened before.

As the rest watched him move over the stoned archway, they shook their heads and found a nearby cathedral, praying to the Almighty that their countryman would change his ways and that the Almighty would not punish them for the actions of Gulistro.

The next day, Gulistro was sick. He sat outside his dwelling just outside the city wall, making sure no one would come by to steal his food or possessions. He sat alone, as no vixen would accept him due to his impious nature and bloated figure. Though he was sick, his appetite had not left him, and he noisily began to eat from his stockpiles of food.

The noises he made attracted the attention of a terribly thin man who had returned from the forest. His collarbone jutted from his stretched skin, and his ears were thin. In haste, he stumbled up to the man's home.

Gulistro stood. "Go away! Don't step any closer or I'll bash your head in!"

"Please," the man begged, "I haven't eaten in days and been away from my family even longer. I'm terribly hungry, but I have no money to buy food. You look to have plenty, kind man. Please show some mercy and give me a piece of bread!"

Gulistro stepped forward. "Get off my property you filthy man! And if I catch you trying to steal any of my food, I'll break your arms!"

The terribly thin man glared at him. "You have more than plenty, but you lack the greatest possessions any man could ever have – a good heart and a good wife. May you be rewarded for your cruelty."

Gulistro ignored the man as he walked toward the city gate. He returned to eating, munching on his wares.

Now it was customary during the dark times of Careinian rule to pay the magistrate the annual taxes. Everyone in Cavask worked together to help pay for each person's burden. All, that is, except for Gulistro, who always had more than plenty. It was on that day that the people had pulled together their hard-earned money and made sure everyone had just enough to survive through the next year, as failure to pay taxes meant certain death.

As the magistrate and his procession marched down the road leading to the city wall, they approached Gulistro's house. But because Gulistro was terribly sick, he did not recognize the man or his troops.

"Who are you?" he barked. "Get off my property at once!"

The Careinian magistrate was shocked, but knew Gulistro was always diligent with his taxes, so he decided to show him mercy. "Excuse me? I am the local magistrate. I am here to collect your money!"

"You won't get any!" he cried. "Everyone is always telling me to give, give, give! I won't stand for it anymore. Go into town and ask them to pay extra this year! After all, they always try to steal from me!"

The magistrate paused. "You seem to be the only one who pulls the weight around here."

"Indeed!" Gulistro huffed.

"But the people of Cavask have also been diligent with their taxes, more so than any region my men patrol. Their bodies are thin, which means they have given plenty to the Careinian cause. You, however, seem to have stockpiled against them and against the Carzinski of Canvhis." He turned to his guards. "Restrain this man and have him executed!"

In a flash, Gulistro ran from his dwelling and toward the city walls with the stoned archway leading into Cavask. However, the archway was barred, and Gulistro could not pass.

"Please!" the portly vulpine begged. "Let me in!" He tugged on the tail of the guard behind the gate with his fat fingers. "Open the gate! They're trying to kill me!"

The guard turned around, displaying his jutting collarbone from the folds of his armor and his thin ears from his mask, which rested atop his head. "You get what you deserve."

At that instant, Gulistro ran from the city gate, but was too far out of breath to run much further. He was tackled, seized, and then executed on the spot. The magistrate then looted his house and quickly realized that the money and food within the dwelling was worth much more than the taxes the citizens of Cavask could have ever paid. Therefore, he ordered his troops to take everything from within the house and march directly past Cavask to the next town.

The townsfolk, disheartened at the loss of the man despite his cruelness and gluttony, gave him a proper burial outside the city walls, as they believe he might feel looters would unearth his grave if they buried him within the city. His grave still stands to this day, though it is surrounded by buildings. It stands as a constant reminder to those that gluttony is indeed a destructive sin and could ultimately lead to one's demise. Since the death of the fat man, no vulpine has been fat ever since.


	7. Why the Vulpine Fur is Colored

Why the Vulpine Fur is Colored

In pagan times, Unonians believed they were descendants of the First Vulpines, a group of god-like males and females who overcame darkness and inherited new realms to control. Their leader, Verveno, who seized control of the sun, made sure everything stayed in order and was maintained well. He was very benevolent and just, yet he, like his people, was coated in jet-black fur, a permanent reminder to their skirmish with the darkness. Or so they thought.

For the first year away from the darkness, the immortal foxes began to worry. They realized that the defeat of the darkness had rendered their immortal bloodline to nothing. They knew this because their vixens began to bleed regularly, signifying the mortality of their blood.

One day, Seviala, Vulpo, and Vixiena met up with Verveno, who was chopping wood to fuel the sun. He set down his axe and approached the three without any avail.

"What troubles you?" Verveno asked. "Your faces are full of worry."

Seviala, who had been given no realm to look after along with her two contemporaries, apprehensively wrung her hands together. "Verveno, we desire to have children, but we realize that any child we have will be mortal. We've been talking for a long time, but we're so worried we cannot sleep."

Verveno raised an eyebrow. "Mortal? How do you know?"

Seviala looked into his eyes. "Because we vixens have begun to bleed regularly, a sign that our bloodline has thinned to finiteness."

Verveno gave his usual stern nod. "If the children will be mortal, then we cannot exist with them. If we do, we would become so attached that it would be difficult to mourn each loss. We must allow them to live in a separate realm, a realm where even after they die their spirits will still be able to reside within it."

"Oh no, Verveno, we could never do that!" Seviala begged. She grasped the fox's sash across his chest. "Please don't separate us from our children!"

Again Verveno nodded. "Very well. But I promise you will change your mind."

The three left and told everyone in town the news. Unusual as it may seem, Seviala was the first to become pregnant, and the first to give birth to a beautiful kit. She named him Viktor, in remembrance of the victory over the darkness still fresh in her mind. Everyone came to bestow their blessings on the child. La brought calmness and serenity in the sky so the child would sleep throughout the night. Ika made the birds chirp heavenly tunes to soothe the child when it cried. Even Gro made sure the grass grew around Seviala's home so that the animals of Vekvestro would graze nearby, keeping the kit company. Even Verveno, whose wife was also pregnant, made sure the sun shined on his forehead each morning. Everyone was very gentle with the kit.

One day, as Seviala went to find food for the kit, the child, who had never even walked before, stood from his basket atop a table and fell from it as the shift in the weight caused the bin to topple over, sending the poor child to his death. When Seviala returned, she was immediately wrapped in intense sorrow. She raked her cheeks with her claw-like fingers until the skin bled. Cradling the child in her arms, she stepped outside and everyone was immediately saddened.

The sadness that settled across the land had dire consequences. La was too depressed to make the sky nice and calm, so Jiko immediately took over to fill the void and rain and thunder settled in. Ika no longer made the birds chirp, Gro sighed as the grass began to die, and others were too sick with sadness to do their jobs.

Verveno was very disturbed at the condition of his people. He knew something had to be done quickly to fix the problem, especially since others were pregnant in the town. He called upon Vro, the spirit of masks, to make colored masks for the residents to wear. He then asked Kirethro to perform a funeral for the kit, something almost foreign to them.

Arriving in town, he told all to dress for a funeral for the dead kit. No one really understood, so they took it as a ceremony. They asked Reko, the spirit of the trees, if he could find appropriate dyes so they could dye their fur, removing the drab black that had been a part of them for so long for the night. He first concocted a red dye and a white dye, red mixed with the blood of the kit to signify the loss of the child, and white for the future, which still remained bright in the town. Vro came by for coloring for his masks, which made Reko quickly realize he would run out of the two colors faster than anticipated. So, he took two shades of blue and made those into dyes. He gave some white and red dyes, while the others the two shades of blue. They took accompanying masks of the same colors, painted in an unusual yet uniform design by Vro.

Later that day, and far into the evening, the town celebrated the death of the kit. Though it was solemn and sorrowful at first, their vibrant colors, clothing, and Verveno trying to cheer up his people soon lifted their spirits. The kit was buried with spices and placed beneath a large tree. A rock, with the name Viktor inscribed upon it marked where his body lay. They danced long into the night.

In the morning, the town returned to their duties, feeling somewhat better after bringing closure to the whole affair. Yet when they took off their masks and went to bathe in the nearby River of Water, they soon realized their fur had been permanently died to the colors of which they died them too. Even their faces reflected the beautiful yet somewhat comical appearances of their masks. All except for their hands, feet, and ears, where the dye missed, along with the tips of their tails, which had turned white due to dipping the ends in extra paint after the ceremony. No one was disheartened because of this, as their new colors were much better than drab black. Those with blue fur, however, decided to dye the rest of their extremities in blue, yet left the white on their tails as a reminder to keep them in common with their brothers and sisters in red, black, and white.

However, not all was well within the town. Everyone knew more mortals would be born, and people were much more reluctant to letting them run loose in a haphazard realm such as theirs. Therefore, the townsfolk went to Verveno to settle their differences.

Seviala approached the fox first and set her blue-furred hand on his black fur. "Verveno, your wife and others will soon give birth. But we cannot have them in this realm – they'll surely die. Where, then, could they be placed where they will be safe?"

Verveno gave a smirk to the lady. "I told you that you would change your mind." Nodding he beamed a relaxed smile to his people as he stepped forward. "I've given this much thought. What if we sent them to another realm, yet could still watch over them and protect them from the perils that may befall them?"

"Oh, that would be most perfect!" Seviala exclaimed.

"Then it will be done," Verveno replied. "I've looked into other realms, and there is only one that darkness can never taint. It is a land called Uno, which will always be a land of freedom to our children. There we will protect them and bring them all the joys of our world. La will provide her calm skies, Jiko will give them rain and thunder, Gro will retain the green land, Livaia will spark their love interests…"

"How exciting!" someone spoke.

"But what about me?" Seviala asked. "I, along with others, have nothing to give our children."

"You're right, but you can always assist them," Verveno replied.

Seviala's eyes darted around. "I don't understand."

Verveno gave his usual stern nod. "Seviala, your child has died. However, from this day forward, you will oversee every single birth within their land." He turned to others. "Vulpo and Vixiena will watch over foxes and vixens respectfully, while Vivaskia will make certain they mate properly." Then he turned to his wife. "And you, Lasa, will oversee their region, keeping in line all the townsfolk as they watch over and control their duties in this new land. I will keep my duties to the sun, but will always be there to fix any problems."

And in the months to follow, many children were born, reflecting the colors of their parents, and were sent to the new realm called Uno. After a short while, the town ceased having children and instead let their children produce their own generations of kits. And through each birth, Seviala made sure the newborn was safe and well, and that each one had a white tip on their tail in remembrance of her son.


	8. Why Some Unonians are Gypsies

Why Some Unonians Are Gypsies

Throughout the history of the Unonian and Careinian nations, the Ta'lavero Mountains have divided their cultures, preserving them from each other's own devices. When the first large amounts of Careinians reached their way across, they first traveled upstream across the mighty Ca'ar River and built a town in the middle of the divide. They named it Xkalso, and it was soon known as a haven of horrible atrocities and injustices toward the Unonian people. They then used the town to stage invasions, from which they eventually conquered the fertile Unonian lands.

Two thousand years passed, and Uno was still occupied by Canvhis. However, the people of the green land never gave up hope that one day they would be free from their neighbors from the west. In the fifth century, a new and powerful religion swept the region, shaking the very foundation of everyone within Uno. Prophets promised love, peace, and, eventually, deliverance from their enemies. Christianity surpassed their old religion, and many cathedrals were built and many prayers were said, as their faith in the Almighty was strong. Finally, on 1267, one year before yet another mass vision occured in Cavask, Uno was freed by the Carzinski. Xkalso and other Careinian outposts were totally destroyed. Overwhelmed with joy, Unonians from all around the continent fled back into their old home, now totally theirs.

Yet all was still not well. Over the past centuries, Unonians migrated to Canvhis in the hopes of finding less oppression from a more limited army and more opportunities. When Uno was free, all Unonians who resided in Canvhis looked to their homeland and kept one eye looking back to avoid the quickly worsening Careinian sentiments. However, the Ta'lavero Mountains kept them at bay, and the lands of Xkalso were contaminated with the Yellow Plague. For those who trekked across, very few made it to safety.

Kehlso was one of these Unonians seeking sanctuary. One night, as he neared the ruins of Xkalso, the wanderer had a dream. In that dream, he saw himself in the presence of the Almighty.

"This land is yours," spoke the Almighty. "Why do your people refuse to cross?"

"Because," Kehlso replied, "it's full of disease. If we cross, we'll surely die anyway!"

"You have been across many lands. You have seen great seas and endless fields of gold. But your homeland, the land I said would be yours for all time, remains hidden to you."

"I do want to step into Uno," said Kehlso, "but my wife – what if she gets sick? Or what if my horse dies? Or my children drown?"

"You have never lost your possessions or family. Where is your faith? Have you lost that?"

Kehlso shook his head. "It is my duty to bring my family to safety."

"My precious child, you trust in yourself more than you trust in me. As my prophets have written, ask and you shall receive. If you do not ask, if you do not want, then I cannot help you."

And with that, Kehlso woke. Without a second thought, he packed up his cart, drew up his horses, and proceeded toward Xkalso. But, just as he was beginning to enter the city limits, his children fell from his wagon and drowned in the rushing currents of the Ca'ar River. The wanderer paused to grieve, but realized he had to proceed forward. An hour later, his horses collapsed and died in mid-stride. Stubbornness ensured, and Kehlso picked up what he could and set into Xkalso with his wife. But, an hour later his wife began to cough up blood and thick yellow fluid.

Kehlso fell in a fit of anguish as he too began to sputter blood from his mouth. "Oh Lord! You took my children, my horses, and now you're taking my wife! What more could you possibly take from me, except my life?" Looking down at his struggling wife, he remembered the dream he had no less than a night ago. Shame pulsated through his veins. "Oh Almighty. I cannot do this on my own. I need you – I need your help. Please help me!"

Suddenly, the clouds parted and a pure light fell upon him and his wife. Kehlso knew in an instant it was the Almighty. "Oh Almighty, please forgive a foolish wanderer!"

"Kehlso, your faith has been tried and proven, and I forgive your stubbornness. Though it came at a great cost, I will keep my promise and help you if you still desire it."

"Please, Almighty, please!" Kehlso cried. "My wife, she is dying! Please help her!"

"Your wife will live through this sickness. She will not die of the Yellow Plague."

"And…" he trailed off as he felt the plague crawling inside of him. "Help… my people. All Unonians trapped in Canvhis. Even though I am dying, they deserve you more than I do, my God!"

The Almighty was moved by this, and gazed down at the wandering couple. "Kehlso, your humility shall serve your people well. You will rebuild the city of Xkalso, but you will call it Skendio, which will forever mean sanctuary in your language. Never again will its lands be tainted by disease. I will guide your people to this town, and they shall be called gypsies, for, like you, they wander constantly, but never wander too far from me. And they will forever protect each other in these Careinian lands, and the gypsies will travel the entire continent as a reminder to the humility you and your people posses."

As the clouds parted, both wife and husband were cured of their ailment. As each day passed, the land became more and more green and the rubble of the city's horrible past was crushed by the roots of the trees. Kehlso first built a cathedral over the spot where he had last spoken directly to the Almighty and continued to construct many buildings with the help of his people until his death some years later.

All gypsy children are told this story.


End file.
